The invention relates to a rechargeable battery with a battery housing having a rear wall with a recess which extends as far as an end wall of the battery housing and has a base side and narrow sides facing each other, the base side continuing via a step into the outer side of the rear wall, and a contact assembly which is covered by a cover extending from the step being positioned at the step.
Such rechargeable batteries are used in cordless electrical appliances, in particular, in power tools, for example, in battery-operated vacuum cleaners. The batteries are releasably connectable to the electrical appliance and can be separated from the electrical appliance for charging and charged by a charger. The batteries have a multiplicity of cells arranged in the battery housing, and a contact assembly is used to establish an electrical connection between the battery and the electrical appliance or the charger.
A battery is known from published application DE 102 29 980 A1, wherein the contact assembly is in the form of contact elements arranged openly at the rear wall. The contact elements are easily contactable from the outside, but they are not protected against mechanical or other action thereon.
A battery of the kind mentioned at the outset is known from published application DE 10 2004 036 209 A1. To protect the contact assembly against mechanical impairment a cover is used, which covers the contact assembly and is arranged together with the contact assembly in a recess of the rear wall. As a result, the contact assembly can be protected to a considerable extent against mechanical impairment, but the danger does exist that during operation of the electrical appliance the contact assembly will come into contact with splash water that may occur. This can cause an electrical failure.
The object of the present invention is to further develop a rechargeable battery of the kind mentioned at the outset so that when connecting the battery to an electrical appliance the contact assembly can be protected in a constructionally simple manner against splash water.